The Dark Lord Returns
by Gema J. Gall
Summary: A muggle girl runs into Voldemort and into the most terrifying experience of her life. (Based on an actual dream I had.)
1. The Riddle House

Harry Potter Fan Fiction  
  
The Dark Lord Returns  
  
By: Gema J. Gall  
  
Disclaimer: As if you didn't already know...... JK Rowling owns Harry Potter, pas moi. If you like Harry Potter, then go give her your thanks. If you think Harry Potter is of the devil, the go blame her for corrupting children. If you are more interested in that argument, read my The Network Approved Version of Harry Potter.  
  
AN/ The first half of this is based off of a dream I had. (You know you're reading too much Harry Potter when.....) Well, this is what happens to a twisted subconscious when the mind is unconscious. Here's a warning. Don't read Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire chapter one at midnight, right before you go to sleep, especially if your dream history is people trying to kill you. (I do NOT have issues! And therapy doesn't work on me.....) I think I've talked enough, on with the fic!  
  
A loud scream echoed through the night. Hundreds of miles away a young boy woke up, clutching his scar. But, not so far away a young girl woke up with a gasp. These were the only two who were aware of the deadly turn the dark night had took.  
  
The dark haired girl stood up in her long white night gown. She had thought the scream was a lingering figment from her dream. She shook her head, trying to clear it. But something was nagging at her that she could brush off.  
  
"You'd think I'd get used to this after a while," she muttered. She thought about attempting to go back to sleep, but her mind was too awake now.  
  
She wandered into the next room, the kitchen, intent on fixing herself a drink. That was when she noticed the light was on. She looked around, curious.  
  
"Frank?" she asked into the darkness. But her new guardian didn't answer. She wasn't terribly surprised. Frank was losing his hearing, and she hadn't spoken terribly loud.  
  
She looked over her shoulder, through her new bedroom and out the window of the caretaker's small house. She could see the sleepy lights of Little Hangleton. That seemed normal.  
  
She then looked out the kitchen window, out over the house that Frank Bryce was caretaker of. A light flickered in a far window of the Riddle House. It came from one of the main rooms. The girl stared at it a long while. The more see watched, the more the light seemed to be crowded out by darkness. A chill swept over her, causing her to shudder in the warm late summer air.  
  
"Frank?" she called again. The sound of her voice seemed to give her the confidence she needed.  
  
"I bet he's in the house," she said, out-loud. That was definitely encouraging. "Probably some neighborhood kids causing trouble again." She had only been there for three months, since the beginning of summer, but she knew how much the kids in Little Hangleton loved to pester Frank by attacking the Riddle House.  
  
She sighed. Whatever it was about the house, no one had yet told her. But she had figured out that it was the bane of the town. She looked out the window at it, waiting to see a bunch of small fleeing figures, followed by the light dying and Frank limping out.  
  
She waited and watched, but nothing changed. There was no loud voices, no yelling, no running. The light in the window continued to flicker, the only movement in the dark night. The darkness seemed to grow, consuming all that was around it.  
  
The girl jerked up straight, a new idea hitting her.  
  
"What if he's hurt?" she wondered. "That leg of his is getting worse. What if he fell or something?"  
  
With a look of determination she doused the kitchen light and stepped out of the small house. The girl quickly crossed the yard and entered the Riddle House. She had only been inside once before, when Frank had given her a tour of it on her first day in Little Hangleton.  
  
As a white figure she snuck in the darkness, creeping in the shadows. She pushed the childish fear of creatures of the night out of her mind and stepped onto the back porch. It gave a slight creak beneath her feet, but other than that it betrayed no sound. The door opened easily beneath her fingers, proof that Frank had just entered.  
  
She slipped inside and looked around the darkened kitchen. The pale moonlight from the half moon was barely enough for her to see. She paused a moment, waiting for her eyes to adjust.  
  
She attempted to call out in the darkness, remembering how sound had made everything feel better before. "Frank..... it's Karen," she croaked. But her voice had no more power than a small wheeze. Her mouth had suddenly gone dry, though she didn't know why. It could have been the lingering terror that resided in the gloomy corners of the house.  
  
Karen reached forward for a light switch, but even there her nerves failed her. There was someone else in this house, that she was sure of. Somehow, she knew not to turn on the lights. Some instinct was holding her back. That could have something to do with the hair on the back of her neck, which was slowly rising.  
  
After taking a deep breath to steady herself, Karen pushed on. She silently left the kitchen and entered the main hall, which would lead to the room she had seen the light on in. She prayed that she would run into Frank soon. Concern marked her brow as she walked down the dim hall, her bare feet making no noise on the old hard wood floor.  
  
The door at the end of the hall was cracked open, allowing light to spill into the hall like a bright shaft among shadows. The light fell across an unmoving lump. Karen stopped, not sure if she should continue. Something inside of her was screaming to run. But she had never run before. She walked closer, half knowing what she would find.  
  
Karen gave a barely audible gasp when she saw that it was, in deed, Frank laying on the ground. His brown eyes stared back at her, glazed over and unblinking. His bad leg had crumpled beneath him at an odd angle. His face seemed contorted into shock and fear. There was no rise or fall of his chest.  
  
"Oh, Frank...." muttered Karen, quietly. She had seen this before. She knew he was dead. A feeling of dread swept over her.  
  
Voices in the next room caused her to raise her eyes off of the corpse. Two people were talking. Karen leaned closer to the door to listen. Half of her was curious, and wanted to know what was going on. The other half of her wanted to run far and fast without looking back.  
  
She lined her right eye with the crack in the door and scanned the room. It was till fairly neat, Frank had always seen to that. The table had been pushed against the wall and a large, padded chair had been drug into the middle of the floor. A fire crackled behind the grate, which was the light she had seen. The chair had its back to her, so she couldn't see the one who sat in it. But besides the chair cowered a small man who was going bald. He pulled his black cloak closer for warmth, as though something was stealing the heat from the fire away from the room. Karen could feel it too, and for a moment wished she was wearing more than her night clothing.  
  
She peeked in again and noticed that a large snake was curled up on the other side of the chair. It was huge, over ten feet long she would have guessed. Karen wondered if it had been a snake bite that had killed Frank. She looked down at him once, but that sent another chill down her spine. She looked back into the room and began to eavesdrop.  
  
"We surely cannot stay her much longer, my lord," said the small man with an unmistakable quaver in his voice. "If the Ministry of Magic sensed that spell...."  
  
Karen blinked, then turned her ear to hear even better.  
  
"Those old fools do not concern me," said the man. His voice made Karen shudder more violently than anything else. It sounded like a howling wind before a storm. It struck her ears like claws on a chalkboard. "We will continue with the plan."  
  
"But.....but surely the muggles will notice if this one turns up dead. We can't stay here safely for an entire week," pleaded the first speak. "I mean no disrespect my lord!" He shrieked the last part, as if a deadly gaze had been turned on him. The snake hissed.  
  
"Do I sense you are trying to disobey me, Wormtail?" asked the second.  
  
"No! I....." stammered Wormtail.  
  
"Or is it that you think you are wiser than the dark lord? That your plans are better? That you can tell him what to do?" said the second speaker in a voice that was deadlier than anything Karen had heard.  
  
Karen realized she was breathing slowly, out of her mouth, as her heart raced on without showing signs of stopping. Her nerves cried out for her to flee, but her feet stayed firmly planted, as if they had grown roots.  
  
"No!" cried Wormtail, who had thrown all dignity aside and was groveling at his master's feet. "I have no thought of! I would never cross you! I.... I am merely concerned for your lordship's welfare! Have pity on your humble servant, master!"  
  
At length the second speaker spoke. "You are a coward, Wormtail. Now listen to my words and forget all thoughts of disobeying me. We will wait until after the World Quidditch Cup is over. We will catch Harry Potter. With his blood and his death Lord Voldemort will rise again. If you are going to do nothing but snivel, I have no use for you..... no more use than I did for Bertha Jenkins."  
  
Karen made the motions of a gasp, but she had to suck in air to keep herself from feeling light headed. This was too much to process.  
  
"No, master! Please......" sniveled Wormtail. "You can't....."  
  
"Of course I can't kill you now," he snarled. "You would feed me my potion? You still have your uses, but I will not tolerate any more failures."  
  
"Thank you master!" exclaimed Wormtail as he once again began to grovel.  
  
"Yes, the boy will be mine," said the second, mostly to himself. "With the help of my most loyal servant, even Dumbledore will not save Potter."  
  
"I am your loyal servant," whimpered Wormtail.  
  
"Silence! I am sick of your whining. It is time to milk Nagini."  
  
"Yes, master," muttered Wormtail, the quaver was back in his voice.  
  
Karen stood in the same place she had been. The sheer terror of what she was hearing held her spell-bound. She knew she had to do something, anything. But no ideas would come to her. She found it hard to breath, as if the darkness, and the evil, was sucking the will right out of her. She desperately wanted to run, but her feet would not move.  
  
The speaker in the chair started to hiss. Karen jerked straight again. There seemed to be some sort of iambic pentameter to the sounds, but it was nothing that she could follow. Only when the large snake hissed back did cold begin to seep into her stomach. Both the snake and the man hissed, causing her heart to race even more. Her breathing was ragged over her dry mouth, while her hands began to feel wet and clammy.  
  
The snake hissed once more, then started to slither to the cowering man, who did not at all seem happy about this. Karen continued to watch. Then, the snake paused, jerking its scaly head towards the door. It seemed to be looking straight at her. Karen froze. It was silent, save the rampant beating of her heart.  
  
The snake licked the air, then turned to the chair, where it hissed again.  
  
"Really?" said the second speaker. "Wormtail, we seem to have another guest."  
  
"Oh, crap," thought Karen. "They know I'm here....." She once again felt an all-consuming desire to run, but her legs refused to comply.  
  
"A-A-A....." stammered Wormtail, who's beady eyes shot to the door.  
  
"Another muggle," said the second. Karen wanted to do something, anything, but her own body held her paralyzed.  
  
"Well, invite her in," said the second speaker, impatiently. "After all, it wouldn't be right to leave her out. After all, we invited the old muggle in."  
  
"The killed Frank.....just like this...." thought Karen, her breathing clipped.  
  
Wormtail walked over to the door and swung it opened wide.  
  
"Well, you heard the master, come in," he said, shortly.  
  
Karen tried to shake her head 'no' but Wormtail tail grabbed her arm and pulled her in. Karen's eyes flickered back to Frank's dead body before they darted to the back of the chair and locked on.  
  
"What brings a young muggle girl here?" asked the man in the chair.  
  
Karen stammered something incoherent.  
  
"Did you not hear me?" he asked, a note of danger in his voice. "What are you doing here, muggle?"  
  
"What do you mean?" she stammered, at length.  
  
"A muggle is a non-magic person," said Wormtail. Karen merely nodded, wide- eyed.  
  
"Why are you here?" he asked. The snake his slightly.  
  
"I came looking for Frank," she answered.  
  
"What do you care about the old man?" asked the man in the chair. It was extremely unnerving how casual he was being. But, despite this, Karen felt her already raw nerves being sent into overdrive.  
  
"He...He's my guardian," answered Karen. "I got worried when he didn't come back."  
  
"That old fool?" chuckled the man. At least, it seemed like a chuckle. It was more like a cough and a wheeze. Then he turned serious, dead serious. "How much did you hear?"  
  
"I....I....I...." Karen stammered. She knew no good could come from answering that question.  
  
"Come, come, you are as bad as Wormtail. Is that anyway to address the dark lord?"  
  
"Is that who you are?" asked Karen, realizing how stupid the question was once it was out of her mouth.  
  
"I am Lord Voldemort," he answered. "The greatest wizard of all times. The dark lord who shall return to power and reign once more." Karen said nothing, still held prisoner by fear.  
  
"Consider it an honor to know Lord Voldemort before you die," he continued. "Wormtail, turn me around."  
  
"But.....but master, your strength," stammered Wormtail.  
  
"Business like this makes me stronger. Now do it!" ordered Lord Voldemort.  
  
Wormtail quailed, then grabbed then ends of the chair and began to turn it away from the fire.  
  
Karen still stared, eyes wide as ever. Her brain seemed to have gone beyond reasoning, although he instincts were screaming at her to flee. But her legs locked as she let out a mangled gasp.  
  
AN/ So, how'd I do? Good? Bad? Tell me! I'd love import on how well I did the emotions and suspense throughout this chapter, so please let me know. More reviews also means faster updates. If you get bored waiting, however, please try my Harry Potter mass crossover; a bunch of anime characters at Hogwarts! Oh, the fun.  
  
So, what do you think of my dream so far? No comments about therapy! And I do NOT have issues, just because in all me dreams people try to kill me! *Huff*  
  
Well, any questions, comments, concerns, suggestions, constructive criticism, feel free. NO baseless slamming is allowed. And I do NOT appreciate profanity.  
  
Thanks!  
  
And, as always, please read, review, and enjoy! ( 


	2. Chased in the Night

Wormtail continued to turn the chair around, struggling not to shake the person sitting in it. Shadows dance in the firelight. Nagini hissed as Wormtail came dangerously close to stepping on her. The snake skirted out of the way, sliding over Karen's left foot while she was at it.  
  
That dull sense was all it took to snap Karen back to reality. She gasped once, and the air caused her brain to function. It sent panicked messages to her legs to run, and they finally complied.  
  
She turned and began to ran as fast as she could. Wormtail inhaled sharply as he saw a flash of her white nightgown fleeing from him. Nagini, who had been distracted by them moving chair, hissed as Karen fled to room.  
  
Karen shoved the door shut behind her. Then, after jumping over Frank's dead body, she tore out of the house at top speed.  
  
Down the hill the Riddle House was set on she ran. The cool night air shocked her sense into further action.  
  
Karen screamed at the top of her lungs at the bottom of the hill as she ran into the heart of town. It was silent as the grave, and just as dark, being well passed midnight.  
  
"HELP!" screamed Karen, as loud as she possible could. "HEEELLLPPPPPPP!"  
  
A light flickered on in the house next to her. She quickly realized it was an automatic light, the kind that flickered on when anyone got to close.  
  
Seeing the light as a sign of safety, Karen raced over the door and began to pound on it, frantically looking over her should every few seconds. She fully expected to see two men running out of the house after her, followed by a large snake, all ready to kill her.  
  
"Help! Please!" yelled Karen as she began to pound on the door. "Please open! Help! Oh, gosh...."  
  
Karen looked over her shoulder once more, but all she could see was shadows from the Riddle House. Then she looked up and saw a man looking down at her.  
  
"What is it?" he snapped. "It's one thirty in the morning!"  
  
"Frank's dead!" Karen gasped.  
  
"What?" he asked, now surprised.  
  
"Can I come in?" asked Karen, frantically, as she continued to search behind her. He opened the door wider and Karen jumped in.  
  
"Now, what's going on?" he asked.  
  
"Frank's dead.... There's people in the house. They killed him," Karen hastily explained. It was hard to understand her because she was breathing so hard; half out of fear and half from running down the hill. It almost sounded like she was hiccuping. "Want me dead. I heard them. They know. A snake...... They'll be coming...."  
  
"Slow down," he cautioned.  
  
"Call the police," she continued. "They'll be coming...."  
  
"Let me get this straight. There are people in the Riddle House and they killed Frank Bryce. You overheard them and they caught you. Now they are after you?"  
  
"Yes!" Karen practically exclaimed. "I saw a light on in the house. Frank had already gone to investigate. I want in. Frank was dead. They saw me..... I ran."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"And what were you doing around the Riddle House this late, anyways?"  
  
"She's Frank's new charge, remember?" said a lady who appeared in the stairwell. She was obviously his wife and had thrown a bath robe of her pajamas.  
  
"Yes..... You have to call the police!"  
  
"I want to check this out, first," he said. He looked out the window and opened the door to enter the night.  
  
"They'll kill you too!" cried Karen.  
  
"If I see anything unusual, I'll call the police," he said, dryly as he picked a cell phone up off of a nearby table.  
  
"Is this a good idea, Alan?" asked the wife.  
  
He didn't reply, he was already outside.  
  
"Oh, dear lord......"moaned Karen as she shrunk to the ground, her legs no longer able to support her weight.  
  
"Mommy, what's going on?" asked a little boy as he walked down the stairs. He rubbed his eyes with one hand. In the other arm was a stuffed dog.  
  
"Nothing to worry about, Danny," said the lady. Karen looked at her as if she was crazy.  
  
"Where's daddy?"  
  
Karen glanced out towards the window. In the flickering shadows she could see Alan making his way up the hill. In one hand was a flashlight, in the other was the cell phone. Karen watched, once again unable to pull himself away.  
  
"Did you have a nightmare?" asked the little boy, Danny.  
  
"Y-yes," she stammered.  
  
"Here, hold poogle," said Danny as he held out his toy. "She'll make you feel better."  
  
"Um....thanks," stammered Karen. She accepted the toy. Danny sat down next to her and they looked out the window. His mom walked behind them, her eyes locked on the figure of her husband.  
  
Karen watched, hardly allowing herself to breath. Icy fingers seemed to clutch her. Her nerves were far from calm, and she half expected to see Nagini slithering across the floor. Frank's dead eyes flitted in and out of her mind as she watched Alan. Then, he was joined by another shadow.  
  
"No....." muttered Karen when she recognized the figure of Wormtail.  
  
"What?" asked the mom.  
  
"That's one of them," answered Karen.  
  
"Where?" she asked, taking a moment to make out the second shadow. "Alan!"  
  
Karen watched with enrapt horror. Alan walked on a few more steps, unaware of the figure stalking behind him. Then he quickly wielded around, confronting Wormtail. There was some words exchanged.  
  
Karen, with sense heightened by fear and darkness, could have sworn she saw Alan's hand moving across the cell phone's numbers. She hoped she was right.  
  
Wormtail raised what looked like a short stick towards Alan. There was a few more words. Then a green light shot from the stick and hit Alan in the chest. He fell to the ground and did not move.  
  
"Alan!" exclaimed his wife. She was to the phone in the wall in an instant, dialing for the police.  
  
"Oh, please no...." moaned Karen.  
  
"What happened to daddy?" asked Danny.  
  
Karen never had a chance to answer that question, which she didn't have an answer to anyways. There was a hiss outside the door. Karen gasped and Danny cringed. His mom was too busy with the phone to notice.  
  
"What is that?" moaned Danny.  
  
"Nagini," answered Karen. She pushed poogle back into his arms and slow stood up.  
  
A moment later Nagini had pushed her way in through the unlocked door. She seemed even more sinister in full light, an eerie glow coming from her shiny scales.  
  
"AHHHHH!" screamed the lady. "A snake! How did it get here?!" She had jumped on the kitchen table, phone still in hand. The person on the other end was demanding answers.  
  
"It's after me," said Karen, wide-eyed.  
  
"What.....?" started Danny.  
  
"Get a way from me!" urged Karen as she pushed him across the room. She hoped the snake would leave the little boy alone, that it would focus on her as a target.  
  
"What do you mean 'after you'?" asked his mom.  
  
"This sounds far-fetched, but...." stammered Karen, her legs beginning to feel like jelly as Nagini eyed her up. "One of them orders that snake." She had almost said, 'one of them talks to snakes,' but she knew she wouldn't be believed if she said that.  
  
"What?!" she exclaimed.  
  
Nagini began to slither forward. Karen watched her every movement.  
  
"Bad snake," muttered Danny, but Karen was to preoccupied to hear.  
  
Nagini was within striking distance of Karen. She pulled her head up a bit, to seem more intimidating. Karen didn't need the snake to attempt to make her feel afraid. She was doing a good enough job at that herself.  
  
Nagini snapped forward, a blur too fast to be seen.  
  
Karen jumped, and somehow managed to avoid the fangs.  
  
"Back door!" exclaimed Karen as Nagini circled around again.  
  
"There!" pointed the mother.  
  
Karen nodded and ran. Nagini followed, surprisingly quick for having no legs. Karen ran like a rabbit, jumping here and there to throw the snake off.  
  
Karen threw the back door open and once again raced into the dark and deadly night. She only had a moment to pray for thanks at the door being unlocked in the first place.  
  
Karen bolted out of their backyard and into the backyard of their neighbors. Nagini wasn't far behind her, though the snake was slowed down by the door.  
  
Karen ran faster, adrenaline surging through her veins like never before. The hisses of Nagini were right behind. Through the darkened night Karen ran, her ears placing Nagini closer than she really was.  
  
Karen raced through yards with little though of trespassing. In fact, she hoped that someone, anyone, would come and out. Anyone had to be better than facing this alone. Her heart pounded like a drum, desperately trying to keep up with the hard exercise and the intense fear Karen felt.  
  
Karen tried to scream for help once, but she was breathing too hard to do more than squeak. Her mouth felt like it had been filled with cotton. And Karen was sure that is she stopped running for a moment her legs would stop working all together.  
  
It seemed like forever, like time had started crawling along. Karen ran, little on her mind but staying alive for one more moment. She couldn't see Nagini in the darkness, but she could definitely hear the reptile.  
  
Then, another, relieving sound hit her ears. It was the sound of police sirens coming up the street.  
  
"Thank.....God......" gasped Karen.  
  
As she sprinted through the sleepy backyards of Little Hangleton she turned her head to peer between the gaps between the house. Flashing red and white lights confirmed her faint hopes. Help was coming.  
  
Karen turned a hair and started towards them. She had no idea what police would do against a snake, but she did not want to be alone.  
  
In the darkness she did not see the pitfall that was in store for her.  
  
She tripped over a raised flower bed, falling face first in the ground up wood that lined it. In that instant Nagini was on her.  
  
Karen raised her eyes and looked straight into the beady reptile ones. Nagini raised her head further and glared at her. Karen's entire body tensed, every muscle locking around her bones to the point she thought they'd break. She didn't dare move, although she knew not moving was just as deadly. Nagini started at her, her tongue flicking out to taste the air once. Then something happened which froze the very marrow of Karen's bones.  
  
Nagini talked. But it was the voice of the man who had been in the chair. It was the voice of Lord Voldemort.  
  
"The race ends here. Now you die, muggle, for interfering with my affairs," the snake hissed with Voldemort's voice.  
  
"How....." stammered Karen. It was the only thing she could get out, between gasping for air.  
  
"I can possess the bodies of living things," he answered.  
  
For a moment Karen saw it clearly. The snake looked completely normal. But she glowed with an aura that looked like molten lava. Somehow Karen could sense that glow was a person, that his body was fused with the snake, control it's every action.  
  
"This ends now," Voldemort hissed.  
  
Karen clamped her eyes shut tight, blocking out the surreal image in front of her. The last thing she saw was the two long fangs of Nagini.  
  
AN/ Good? Bad? Intense? I hope it gives y'all chills. It does me, when I read and as I write it. Then again, it could be me reliving my dream. ...... So, y'all tell me how well I did the emotions, suspense, and all that, K?  
  
And, as always, please read, review, and enjoy!( 


	3. The Candy Shop

POP! POP! There was two large bangs that sounded like gunshots.  
  
Karen's eyes flew open. Nagini had jerked back in surprise. The snake was no longer looking at her. The snake was looking past her into the shadows.  
  
Karen raised her head a fraction of an inch to see. She thought she saw someone, but then a greater movement caught her eye. A short figure was running their way. She recognized it at once as Wormtail.  
  
"Master!" he exclaimed when he spotted the snake. "We must leave! The Ministry of Magic is here!"  
  
The snake hissed, then motioned behind Wormtail. Two people, shrouded in darkness were approaching them. Karen used this distraction to crab-walk away from the snake.  
  
Wormtail gasped in fear. Nagini turned her eyes back on Karen, seeming to size up the situation.  
  
"Who's there?" demanded one of the voices.  
  
Another raised a stick in his hand. "Lumo....." He started.  
  
"Stupefy!" yelled Wormtail, holding a stick in his own hand. A shot of pale blue light shot from his stick and hit the second man. He fell to the ground, paralyzed.  
  
Karen realized what was going on, though part of her didn't accept it. Those were wands and these people were doing magic.  
  
"Enough!" exclaimed the still standing man. He raised his wand.  
  
Karen heard a hiss from Nagini and the snake slithered into the shadows.  
  
Karen's eyes then flickered to Wormtail. She let out a gasp. She watched as his body shrunk and melted, until it reformed as a rat.  
  
"EEK!" exclaimed Karen. She wasn't afraid of rats, but seeing a human do that was enough to cause anyone to yell.  
  
The rat disappeared into the night, right behind the snake.  
  
"Lumps," she heard from the other man, who was frantically looking around for where the short man had went.  
  
Karen watched as his wand sparked, then lit, lighting the area.  
  
She looked the two newcomers over. The first she saw, the one still standing, was quite plump. His nose looked like it had been broken once, because it was smashed onto his face. His blond hair seemed to be the only light thing in the dark night.  
  
The man laying on the ground had immaculate grey hair and matching mustache. He still seemed to have some muscle to him, although it was hard for Karen to tell from the position she was at.  
  
She also didn't have time to worry about the stunned one, because the one with the lighted wand was walking towards her.  
  
Karen cringed farther into the geranium bed as the light from the wand covered the area.  
  
"What do we have here?" he muttered. Karen cringed, not trusting anyone based on how the night was currently going. "I'm not going to hurt you." He had apparently noticed the terrified look on Karen's face.  
  
"Spread out!" came the sound of a police officer. "Search the area!"  
  
"Blast it!" yelled the man who had been walking towards her. "Barty! We have to get out of here! Muggles are everywhere, we are going to need more help from the Ministry."  
  
"Easy for you to say...." moaned the paralyzed man, who seemed to be having a hard to talking with the hex on him.  
  
Karen watched with silent amazement as the first man walked over to the one who was stunned. He raised his wand, there was a pop, then they both disappeared.  
  
Karen gasped and leapt to her feet. She scanned the darkness with fearful eyes, searching for any more signs of danger. Nothing was moving, save the alternating colors of the police lights. Karen wasn't taking any chances. She quickly slipped out of the backyard and under the light of a street light.  
  
Further up the street she saw three police cars. Alan's wife was outside talking to them. She could also see dark shapes walking up the hill to the Riddle House. Karen knew they wouldn't find the criminals.  
  
She sighed and leaned against the light post. She knew she'd have to go to the police station for questioning and explaining her story, but she was too agitated now. Between finding her guardian dead and seeing all this magic, she didn't know what she should do, and what she should say. The police would never believe her if she told them about the talking snake. Then, there was those other magicians running around. Karen had no idea when and where they'd show up again, or what they would do when they showed up. The only thing Karen was sure of was that this was far from over.  
  
She wanted to go back to her bed, pull the covers tight, and dismiss this all as a dream. But that wasn't going to happen. She was too unnerved to sleep, and police were covering the Riddle's grounds.  
  
Karen started to look up and down the street, looking for anywhere she could find sanctuary. Some house lights were one, the people having woken during the confusion. Alan's porch light was on with all the bustle around his house. The Hanged Man, the village pub, was still open. Those weren't the places Karen had in mind.  
  
Then, a new light caught her eye at the far end of the street. It seemed inviting, so she walked over to investigate. It was the porch light to a house. But this house had been transformed into a candy shop. Besides the porch light, a large, glowing sign that read 'Madam Nelsa's Corner Candy Shoppe' lit the front of the building.  
  
Karen double checked when she saw it. She hadn't remembered there being a candy shop in the area. Then again, she was new to Little Hangleton. The shop seemed so quaint that is was no wonder that she ended up overlooking it. Karen made up her mind, crossed the street, and entered.  
  
Inside were shelves of candy, kinds of which Karen had never seen before. There was things like; Pepper Imps, Sugar Quills, Levitating Sherbet Balls, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Tooth Flossing String Mints, Ice Mice, Chocolate Frogs, Exploding Bonbons, Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, and Cockroach Clusters. Some of these seemed to carry their own aura. The store itself was set up normally.  
  
Then, a bustling motion caught Karen's eyes. A short, aged lady stood up behind the counter. She was short and had grey hair, but seemed young for her age. Her hair was pinned in a frizzy bun and she wore a large housecoat that had been apparently thrown on very recently. She seemed flustered, but there was something about her that reminded Karen of her grandmother, when she was still alive.  
  
"Oh, hello dearie," greeted the lady. "A bit late to be out...... But tonight isn't normal. Oh..... I normally never open my doors when the sun isn't shining.... But like I said this isn't normal.... Oh, so much chaos going on."  
  
"I know....." muttered Karen.  
  
"Who would have ever thought that something like this would happen in Little Hangleton? I thought I had seen it all," Madame Nelsa continued on. "More Muggles running around, not knowing what happened..... I don't think anyone knows, but the Ministry of Magic will be here soon enough to straighten things out."  
  
Karen's eyes went wide, and she started eyeing the door.  
  
"I thought this all ended with the fall of You-Know-Who.... Dear me, wizards running amuck, using unforgivable curses right down the road," she shuddered. "I thought it was over with...... I can't imagine..... Those dark wizards will be the end of us all. They've already killed two Muggles tonight, and now who knows where they are?'  
  
"Two?" asked Karen. "Not Alan, too!"  
  
"That nice Muggle from up the street? Oh, dear," jabbered Madam Nelsa. "Mr. Bagman was in here already. He told me two had died, but he didn't say who. How tragic. It happened at the Riddle House.... they should run it under, nothing good can come of keeping that place around."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, three Muggles were murder there about fifty years ago, now it's starting again," said Madam Nelsa with a shudder. "And that was right before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named came to power." Karen merely nodded.  
  
"Now, come here girl," said Madam Nelsa. "You look as white as a sheet. This whole ordeal is terrifying, isn't it?"  
  
"You have no idea," agreed Karen, nervously.  
  
"Here, I have just the thing," she said. She pulled a large lollipop off of a nearby rack. It had a pale yellow glow, which actually seemed sort of friendly. "My family's own recipe. Cheery Pops! They are good for when someone is depressed, pick up the spirits right away. Why, they are the next best thing to chocolate when dealing with demeantors, too. Hope IO never see their likes, either."  
  
"What's in it?" asked Karen, cautiously. She had picked-up the candy was enchanted.  
  
"Just your basic ingredients, plus a homemade Cheering Charm," she said. "the perfect thing for a witch like you on a night like this."  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Karen.  
  
Madam Nelsa ignored the question, "Here, take it. It will do you good. Dearie, you look ready to faint."  
  
"But I don't have any money," said Karen.  
  
"That's okay, tonight, it is on the house."  
  
Karen nodded and accepted the candy. She sniffed it once before starting to suck on it. A warm feeling swept through her, making her smile. It felt good, and happy.  
  
"I like it," said Karen.  
  
"I knew you would," said Madam Nelsa. "You must be new to the area, I haven't seen you around here before."  
  
"I am."  
  
"Well, don't be a stranger. You seem like such a nice girl. And you have such pretty golden eyes."  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Karen, a bit surprised. Her eyes were dark brown.  
  
"Well, it looks like it is going to be a long night," said Madam Nelsa, once again ignoring her question and looking out the window. Karen got the idea that she was a bit hard at hearing.  
  
Karen listened with half an ear. She looked down at a display case. She saw her reflection looking back. Her eyes were, in deed, now a lovely golden shade. They stood out against her raven colored hair. Karen was shocked for a moment. Then she realized she actually liked them better this way.  
  
The door opened, knocking against a bell above it. Two men entered. Karen was able to recognize them as the figures she had seen earlier. She ducked behind a shelf and watched. Apparently the one had shaken off the stun spell.  
  
"Oh, hello Mr. Bagman, Mr. Crouch," greeted Madam Nelsa. "How is it going?"  
  
"No luck," sighed Mr. Crouch, the one that had been stunned. "The culprits got away."  
  
"Oh, no!" exclaimed Madam Nelsa. "Their still loose! I'll never sleep peaceful again!"  
  
"I am sure the Ministry will catch them," said Mr. Bagman. "More agents are coming now. We just have to be careful with so many Muggles around."  
  
"We will find them. We don't want rumors about You-Know-Who returning," added Mr. Crouch.  
  
"It is so tragic. One of the Muggles who died was a husband and a father." Mr. Bagman shook his head. "These dark wizards, no heart....."  
  
"Well, do you want a Cheery Pop for the road?" asked Madam Nelsa. "With all you men have to do tonight, I'll say you deserve one."  
  
"Thanks, but no," declined Mr. Crouch.  
  
"I'll take one, if it isn't too much trouble," said Mr. Bagman.  
  
"None at all." She handed him a lollipop. He bit into it and smiled.  
  
"Ludo, are you forgetting our business?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"......No....."  
  
"What are you doing?" asked Madam Nelsa.  
  
"Looking for a young Muggle girl," answered Mr. Crouch. "She seen everything, and we need to question her."  
  
"We found her in one of the backyards, but had to leave because of the Muggles' law enforcers," added Mr. Bagman.  
  
"Have you heard anything about her?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
Karen cringed.  
  
"Well, no," said Madam Nelsa. "But a little dearie came in a moment ago. Maybe she's seen the girl you are talking about. Poor girl was scared half to death. She hasn't seen unforgivable curses in her time. They really need to be teaching them more at Hogwarts...... Well, come out, dearie."  
  
Karen knew it was no use hiding any more. At least these people weren't intent on killing her. She walked out from behind the shelf, frequently watching the floor.  
  
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Bagman. "How did you get in here?" 


	4. On Trial

AN/ I am so glad that people actually care about this! No, it won't be shelved! And, as always, please read, review, and enjoy! (  
  
"Good heavens!" exclaimed Mr. Bagman. "How did you get in here?"  
  
"Um.....through the door......"stammered Karen, nervously.  
  
"Ludo, how is this possible?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"What is going on?" asked Madam Nelsa.  
  
"This is the girl we were looking for," answered Mr. Bagman.  
  
Madam Nelsa laughed. "Impossible. You said you were looking for a Muggle. And a Muggle would never be able to enter the shop, they'd never see the sign. You've made a mistake."  
  
"Nope, it's her," said Mr. Crouch.  
  
"How did you get in?" repeated Mr. Bagman.  
  
"Through the door," Karen answered with apprehension.  
  
"How did you see it? No Muggle can?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"I don't see how they can't," answered Karen. "With the big glowing sign and everything."  
  
"The sign is enchanted...."  
  
"Oh....."  
  
"We'd better get going. Mr. Fudge is going to want to talk to her," said Mr. Crouch. Karen's eyes went a little wider.  
  
"Can't you see the girl has gone through enough for one night? Let her rest until morning," said Madam Nelsa.  
  
"I wish we could, but we have our orders," sighed Mr. Bagman. He turned to Karen. "Come on, we aren't going to hurt you......"  
  
"Karen," she filled in.  
  
"Well, Karen, let's go," said Mr. Bagman.  
  
"Where?"  
  
"A place the Minister of Magic has set up for this crisis," answered Mr. Crouch. Karen took a step backwards.  
  
"The girl has dodge unforgivable curses all night, let her recover!" protested Madam Nelsa.  
  
"We need to find out what happened before The Daily Prophet get a hold of this," said Mr. Crouch.  
  
"We aren't going to hurt you, promise," said Mr. Bagman to Karen.  
  
"Okay...... But ......" she stammered.  
  
"It will be okay," he said. He pulled out his wand. "Now, come here and take my hand. It won't work unless we are touching." Karen did. "Good."  
  
He waved his wand and there was a loud pop. Karen gasped. It went dark for a moment, then it went clear. The room had changed. Now she stood in a white hall with a long, rectangular table and many chairs. A few portraits lined the walls, and these were moving. The man who sat at the far end was on the broad side and wore a lime-green bowler's hat. His grey hair was cropped short. Next to him was an elderly man with flowing white hair and beard. He smiled and Karen and she gave a nervous smile back.  
  
For a moment she was worried about the night clothing she was wearing. But most everyone else in the room was wearing robes of sort as well as very sleepy expressions. Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch took seats at the table. They gestured for Karen to do the same. She did, nervously.  
  
"Is this the girl?" asked the man at the end of the table.  
  
"Yes, Fudge, she is," said Mr. Bagman.  
  
"You forgot to mention she was a Muggle. If Rita Skeeter finds out about this she is going to have a field day."  
  
"It must have slipped my mind....."  
  
"I think we should see what the girl has to say," said the fourth man.  
  
"Also the wise one, Dumbledore," sighed Mr. Fudge. He turned to Karen. "Well?"  
  
"Well what?" she asked, not at all happy with his tone. She was getting sick of these people treating her with disrespect because she had no magic abilities.  
  
"What happened tonight at the Riddle House?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"What were you doing there in the first place?" added Mr. Fudge.  
  
"I live on the grounds with Frank Bryce..... well, I did," answered Karen.  
  
"Frank Bryce?" asked Mr. Bagman. "Now why does that man sound familiar?"  
  
"He was one of the ones killed tonight," answered Mr. Crouch.  
  
"Oh, yeah...."  
  
"What were you doing with Frank?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"He's my legal guardian," answered Karen. "At least, he was."  
  
"I see," said Mr. Bagman. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Can you tell us how he died?" asked Mr. Fudge.  
  
"I don't know, except it was murder," answered Karen, nervously looking at their faces. "He was dead by the time I got there."  
  
"Do you know who killed him?" asked Dumbledore.  
  
"He called himself Lord Voldemort," answered Karen. The reaction she got from three of the four men was anything but what she expected. Mr. Bagman gasped and paled, Mr. Crouch fell out of his chair, and Mr. Fudge's eyed went wider than she thought possible.  
  
"You have to be joking," said Mr. Bagman, shaky.  
  
"That's what he called himself, 'Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard of all times,'" replied Karen.  
  
"We do not speak his name," said Mr. Crouch in a hushed voice.  
  
"Why not?" asked Karen, in an almost child-like curiosity.  
  
"This is absurd!" said Mr. Crouch as he leapt to his feet. "There is no way the dark lord has returned."  
  
"On the other hand," said Dumbledore. "The girl knows nothing of him, not even his name. It is highly unlikely she is joking about what she heard."  
  
"Prof. Dumbledore, are you trying to tell us we should believe the words of a muggle about the greatest evil the world has known?!" exclaimed Mr. Fudge.  
  
"I might not be magic, but I know what I heard," glared Karen.  
  
"What did you say?" asked Mr. Bagman.  
  
"Magic. That is what all this is. That's what he said tonight," said Karen. "I might not be magic, but I know enough to know what I heard."  
  
"What who said?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"Voldemort," answered Karen, which was followed by another round of gasping. She looked puzzled.  
  
"We do not say his name," explained Dumbledore.  
  
"Why not?" asked Karen, who was now completely confused.  
  
"Can you tell us what happened tonight?" asked Dumbledore, changing the topic.  
  
" Okay," sighed Karen. "I woke up in the middle of the night and found Frank missing. He went out to find him and entered the Riddle House. I saw him there, already dead. There was two people in the next room, talking. I started eavesdropping. The other one, the one called Wormtail, wanted to leave because he didn't think it was safe, but Lord V-v... but he basically bullied him into staying. He said that Wormtail would 'end up like Bertha Jenkins' if he tried anything against the plan."  
  
"Bertha Jenkins?!" interrupted Mr. Bagman. "Are you sure that's the name he used?"  
  
"That's what I heard," answered Karen, who was starting to sound irritated.  
  
"It can't be, she probably just wandered off..again," said Mr. Crouch.  
  
"She's been missing for quite a while, though," pointed out Mr. Bagman. "Long enough for something to happen to her."  
  
"This is Bertha Jenkins we're talking about," reminded Mr. Fudge.  
  
"I still think it merits looking in to," said Dumbledore. "This girl cannot be making this up, because she has no knowledge of our world."  
  
"I'll look into it," said Mr. Fudge, huffily. "Go on."  
  
"They said they were going to wait until after the World..something Cup.it started with a Q..." started Karen.  
  
"Quidditch?" supplied Dumbledore.  
  
"Yeah! That's what they said," said Karen. "They were going to wait until after the world cup and catch someone named Harry Potter..." Now it was Dumbledore's turn to gasp. "Now what?"  
  
"I have to agree on Dumbledore with this," said Mr. Bagman. "The girl can't possibly know this. She has to be telling the truth."  
  
"I have a name, it's Karen," said Karen, annoyed.  
  
"I still can't believe the dark lord has returned," said Mr. Fudge. "It's inconceivable."  
  
"The only other option then is that someone was impersonating He-Who-Must- Not-Be-Named," said Mr. Bagman.  
  
"Someone who also uses Unforgivable Curses?" asked Dumbledore, skeptically.  
  
"A Death-Eater, then," said Mr. Crouch.  
  
"What else happened there?" asked Mr. Fudge, who was giving Karen a hard look. She returned it and continued.  
  
"They found me behind the door and threatened to kill me," said Karen monotone. "But I ran before they could. I made it to the neighbor's house. There, Alan went outside. That is when they killed him. The snake followed me into the house and I ran outside to keep it away from the family."  
  
"Snake?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"That's what I said," said Karen. "He commanded the snake...This may sound weird, but it sounded like he could talk to it."  
  
"Parsel-tongue," stated Dumbledore. "That narrows down all potential wizards by quite a bit."  
  
"She must be mistaken," said Mr. Fudge. Karen glared at him.  
  
"Then what?" asked Mr. Bagman, who was looking like he was actually enjoying the story.  
  
"I tripped in a flowerbed. That is when he talked through the snake," said Karen.  
  
"Who talked?"  
  
"Voldemort."  
  
"Will you not say his name?!"  
  
"Sorry, but you asked," replied Karen. "He said he could possess the bodies of other living things. He would have bit me there had you two not shown up."  
  
"Then who was the wizard who cast the stun spell?" asked Mr. Crouch.  
  
"That was Wormtail," said Karen.  
  
"How did he escape?" asked Mr. Bagman. "I didn't sense an apparation, and we would have found him any other way..." He didn't seem to be addressing anyone in particular.  
  
"He turned into a rat," answered Karen.  
  
"A rat?" asked Mr. Fudge, skeptically.  
  
"I saw it, don't you dare accuse me of lying," said Karen.  
  
"An ani-magus then," said Mr. Bagman. "But we don't have a rat ani-magus in our records."  
  
"What if he wasn't in your records?" asked Dumbledore. "An unregistered ani-magus?"  
  
"That would be impossible," stated Mr. Fudge.  
  
"No, actually, quite probable," said Dumbledore. "There was one such student at Hogwarts years back. His name was Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"Pettigrew is dead, in case you've forgotten," retorted Mr. Fudge. "Don't try resurrecting what happened in early summer."  
  
"I think we have other concerns as well," interrupted Mr. Bagman. "We found the girl in Madam Nelsa's."  
  
"That isn't possible," said Mr. Fudge. "She'd never be able to read the sigh."  
  
"You mean the big, glowing neon one over the front door?" asked Karen.  
  
"Good heavens! I can't deal with any more tonight," exclaimed Mr. Fudge. "Can someone get us some coffee?"  
  
"I don't get what's the big deal," said Karen.  
  
"The sign is enchanted so that only one with magic abilities can read it. The sign must be read in order for someone to enter the shop. That is the dilemma."  
  
"Oh..." said Karen.  
  
"She shouldn't have been able to see the sign," stated Mr. Bagman. "What are we going to do about that?"  
  
"Find out what else she knows, then use a good Memory Charm," said Mr. Crouch.  
  
"Memory Charm?!" gasped Karen. "What's this talk about a Memory Charm?"  
  
"Excuse me," said a younger lady at the door. She was holding a tray with several steaming cups. "Coffee like you order."  
  
"Thank goodness," said Mr. Fudge. "Do, come in."  
  
Karen looked at the mugs and something instantly told her something was wrong. They were all glowing faintly yellow. It didn't seem right. She could see several other magic objects in the room, but none had the same dangerous aura around them. "I don't think you should drink those," said Karen 


	5. Golden Eyes

"I don't think you should drink those," said Karen.

"It's just coffee," said Mr. Crouch. "I hope it's strong, I need it after tonight."

"It's glowing, coffee isn't supposed to glow," said Karen, her golden eyes narrowed on the sickly yellow aura of the mugs.

"I think the stress must be getting to you," said Mr. Bagman, selecting a cup off of the tray as the lady held it in front of him. Mr. Fudge and Mr. Crouch did the same. Dumbledore, however, waved the lady away. He watched what was going on with a rather curious expression from under his beard.

"We still need to decide what is to be done about tonight," said Mr. Crouch. "_The Daily Prophet_ is going to want an explanation."

"Tell them a Death Eater was causing trouble," said Mr. Fudge.

"Then we also have to admit that the culprit got away," added Mr. Bagman. "This is too much, added to the stress of planning the Quidditch World Cup."

"Tell Rita that the Ministry of Magic has a lead and is very close to catching the culprit," ordered Mr. Fudge.

"She's going to have a field day, especially since we have not yet gotten close to recapturing Sirius Black," groaned Mr. Crouch.

"That's a lie," comments Karen. "You don't have a lead, and you aren't telling the truth about who killed Frank and Alan."

"Young lady, you cannot fathom what is going on here, so please remain silent," snapped Mr. Fudge. "Leave the politics to us."

Karen looked like she had something really nasty to say, brought on by a lack of sleep and an abundance of stress. However, at that time, Mr. Bagman raised his cup of coffee to his lips. Karen reacted instinctively, which was becoming her guide for the night. She leapt to her feet and slapped at his hand, sending the cup flying.

"Don't drink it!" she exclaimed.

The men looked at her like she had lost her mind. But Karen knew that something was wrong with the drink. What she didn't understand was how they failed to feel alarmed by the evil aura coming from it.

The cup hit the wall and splattered against a painting. The occupant of the painting barely had time to jump out of sight. A few seconds later he appeared in a picture on the other side of the room, gaping at his frame. The frame and canvas had dissolved like someone had spilled acid all over it.

The wizards turned their gapes off of Karen and onto the wall.

"Good heavens!" gasped Mr. Bagman. Those word the only words anyone could find to say for a long time.

"I told you that you shouldn't drink it," commented Karen.

Mr. Crouch and Mr. Fudge had set the cups on the table and pushed them as far away from themselves as they could. Mr. Bagman was alternating astonished looks from Karen to the damaged picture and back again. Dumbledore's expression was the only one that had remained unchanged.

"Someone has poisoned the drinks," said Dumbledore.

"Y-y-y-you saved my life," stammered Mr. Bagman. "T-t-thanks…"

"You're welcome," replied Karen, sitting down again.

"How did you know that the drinks were unsafe?" asked Mr. Fudge, suspiciously.

"Because they're glowing yellow," said Karen. "Coffee doesn't glow."

Mr. Crouch looked down at his cup. "There's nothing glowing here."

"Yes there is, are you color blind or something?" asked Karen.

Dumbledore raised a hand to calm them. "I think I first priority should be to catch whoever tried to do this."

"That lady! She might still be in the building!" exclaimed Mr. Bagman. He jumped up and raced to the door.

"I trust you will take care of this while we finish here," said Mr. Fudge as Mr. Bagman left. He turned to Karen. "I think it is highly suspicious that you were able to figure out that the drinks were poisoned."

"They. Were. Glowing." said Karen.

Mr. Fudge didn't seem to hear her. He turned to Mr. Crouch. "This gives us reason to believe that this girl was behind the poison. That would also mean she had a hand in the attacks tonight."

"WHAT?!" cried Karen, jumping up again.

"Karen, look at me," said Dumbledore.

Karen did so, a bit surprised to be called by her real name. Dumbledore's wise eyes looked with her golden ones for a moment.

"There are many stories about those with golden eyes," commented Dumbledore.

"Can we stay focused?" asked Mr. Fudge, who sounded a bit exasperated.

"I believe this matter is very important," said Dumbledore. "Your eyes haven't always been gold, have they Karen?"

"N-no, actually," stammered Karen. "They were dark brown before tonight."

"You weren't hit by a spell, were you?" asked Dumbledore.

"I don't think so…" said Karen. She was starting to like Dumbledore, because he treated her like a human being, not something inferior because of her lack of magic abilities. "None that I know, except for that Cheery Pop Madam Nelsa gave me. But I don't think that was it, it had a pleasant glow…sort of sunny..."

"Are you quite done Dumbledore?" asked Mr. Crouch.

"This girl is telling the truth about seeing the poison in the cups glow," said Dumbledore. "And that's not because she put it there. Please use your common sense, Mr. Fudge. The girl has no magic abilities, therefore she would be incapable of mixing a potion to put in the cups. Besides that, she has been in front of us since she arrived."

"And how can does she see a potion glowing?" asked Mr. Fudge, skeptically.

Karen, too, was puzzled. "Are you saying you can't see the cups glowing?"

"The human mind is capable of immeasurable things," commented Dumbledore. "Though it often takes a crisis for these things to surface. Karen's instinct for self-preservation tonight forced her to learn a new way to survive. Her mind has taught her how to see magic."

"That is absolutely impossible," said Mr. Crouch.

"I agree, a Muggle cannot have any connection to magic," added Mr. Fudge. "Therefore she would never be able to see magic auras while fully trained witches and wizards cannot!"

"A simple test would be more than enough to prove everything," said Dumbledore, who was still completely calm.

Mr. Bagman reentered. "I cornered the serving lady, but she was handed the tray by someone from the kitchens."

"A person in the kitchens?" asked Mr. Fudge. "The house-elves do the kitchen work."

"Elves?" asked Karen, who was ignored.

"I thought that was odd too," said Mr. Bagman, sitting down again. "So I went to the kitchens. Apparently someone attacked one of the house-elves and took the tray. That person must have poisoned the drinks before handing the tray to the serving lady. However, that culprit is long gone."

"Did you get a description from the serving lady?" asked Mr. Fudge.

"Yes and there are other members of the ministry out looking for someone who matches," added Mr. Bagman with a yawn. "It's a pity about the coffee…"

"We still are no closer to a solution," said Mr. Crouch. "We don't know who was behind the attacks, and we don't know what to do with this Muggle."

"I told you it was Voldemort, and my name is Karen," said Karen, causing everyone to wince.

"It is getting close to breakfast time, and I am sure we will all think better with a full stomach," commented Dumbledore. "Why don't we take a half an hour break to eat and continue afterwards?"

"Fine by me," said Mr. Bagman, who still wanted his coffee.

"I do not approve of delaying this," frowned Mr. Crouch.

"Perhaps a half an hour break will do us good," said Mr. Fudge after much thought. "By then some of the other ministry members should return with more information."

"An excellent idea," smiled Mr. Bagman, who was already standing.

The other wizards did the same and headed for the door. Dumbledore walked up to Karen.

"Please, join us, Karen," he said with a smile that reminded her of her grandfather.

"O-okay," stammered Karen, not seeing much of a choice.


End file.
